Manchester United FC have parted company with David Moyes less than 12 months after the 50-year-old succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson as manager, according to UEFA’s official website.
Sir Alex retired last summer after more than 26 years in charge, with Moyes leaving Everton FC to replace him at the helm, officially taking over on 1 July. United, however, have been unable to recapture their form of last season – which ended with a 20th league title – and sit seventh in the Premier League, 23 points behind leaders Liverpool FC.
“The club would like to place on record its thanks for the hard work, honesty and integrity he brought to the role,” reads a statement posted on United’s official website. No successor has yet been appointed.
Moyes took United to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, where they lost 4-2 on aggregate to holders FC Bayern München. Following Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Moyes’ former club Everton, the three-time European champions will miss out on next season’s competition for the first time since 1995/96.
United did reach the semi-finals of the English League Cup under Moyes, but lost on penalties at home to Sunderland AFC. They were also beaten at Old Trafford in the FA Cup, 2-1 against Swansea City AFC in the third round.
Borussia Dortmund manager Jürgen Klopp has ruled himself out of the Manchester United job. The 46-year-old told the Guardian: “Man Utd is a great club and I feel very familiar with their wonderful fans. But my commitment to Borussia Dortmund and the people is not breakable.”
Klopp, who was widely reported to be one of the United board’s preferred candidates to succeed David Moyes, extended his contract at the Bundesliga side until 2018 in October and explained that he was “still in love” with the club last week.
